This invention relates to a computer program that can create new dialing plan databases from all or parts of one or more existing dialing plan databases containing data information for the operation of data and voice audio telecommunication switches.
The configuration of telecommunication switches usually occurs in at least three environments. First, during the testing of switch hardware and software, a laboratory switch is configured to the requirements established for the test. Second, when a switch is sold to a customer, the switch is configured to the customer""s specifications. Third, when a switch experiences a full failure, it often requires reconfiguration of the databases supporting the failed switch or configuration of new databases for an emergency backup switch or replacement switch. Normally, the configuration of telecommunication switches during these three environments requires the manual input of thousands and possibly millions of records of information. This process is extremely time consuming and can take weeks or months to complete.
In the first environment, telecommunication companies continually test new versions of switch software, peripheral devices and other hardware devices during the life of a telecommunication switch. When testing software or hardware, switch engineers design different operating environments to establish operating parameters of the new software or hardware. Data engineers manually input data to configure the operation of the switch for the designed test. Usually, the configuration of the testing environment is performed on a data build machine (computer). The configuration of the switch to simulate the desired testing operational conditions often involves retesting archived configurations or modified archived configurations. Otherwise, the testing configuration is accomplished by manual data entry.
In the second environment, telecommunication switches sold to customers are configured based on the customer""s intended operational conditions and requirements. Usually, the configurations for new switches are manually built new data configurations without relying on existing database configurations. However, the configuration of the features, switching software and hardware is often adopted from other existing configurations.
The third operational environment is recovery of the switch after the switch has experienced a failure. These failures can result from equipment failure to natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes or fires. Recovery of the failed switch sometimes requires the installation of an emergency backup switch. The emergency backup switch requires database configurations that replicate the databases in the failed or damaged switch. Normally, the configuration of the emergency backup switch requires manual, time consuming input of data that will support specific customer features and routing of calls on the emergency backup switch. Having the ability to configure the telecommunication switch by transferring existing data information from known databases into new databases by automating the manual tasks of data entry would save considerable time, money and significantly improve productivity. In addition, instant access to many different switching systems is a critical task that currently requires many hours or days of research and manual browsing. A need exists for a robust process to automatically replace the current manual method data entry to configure dialing plan data for telecommunications switches.
In order to automate the current manual data entry process of engineering dialing plan configuration databases, the computer program of this invention establishes a new database structure and mines source databases to load source database dialing plan data into the new dialing plan database structure. The computer program is capable of searching for the desired data and automates many of the tasks for configuring a new dialing plan database from multiple source databases. This eliminates the current requirement for manual data entry for configuring new dialing plan databases for telecommunication switches.
This computer program is multifunctional allowing for the browsing of all dialing plan databases prior to the configuration. Once the target source dialing plan databases are determined, the computer program creates a new data directory structure and selectively copies all or part of the data from the source dialing plan databases into the new database.
The invention selects the source databases, creates an index of desired data elements and converts the desired data elements from binary into ASCII format. The line and trunk information is configured for the new database and the equipment numbers are reengineered on each line and trunk member. The data is extracted and converted to the same software release and loaded into the new dialing plan data directory structure.
This computer program provides accurate and timely customer information, significantly decreases the time interval for engineering a new database, decreases the research and data entry time, decreases the interval for lab planning and project management, improves dialing plan database integrity, provides a cleaner dialing plan database, reuses existing dialing plan data eliminating double data entry, reuses some existing software code, can use preexisting tools, and provides a platform for future growth and expandability. By accomplishing these tasks, the telecommunication switch manufacturer or telecommunication switch operator saves time, money and decreases time-to-market product and service schedules.